FAMILY QUILT: FROM TWO TO TWELVE PART 4

I REMEMBER MAMA--#9

Hazel Elizabeth Poyner Boykin

Mama, Hazel, was the youngest girl of the ten Poyner children and one, from what I can gather from the stories I was told, that gave Grandma Lena a bit of a run for her money.

I only, of course, know of her childhood from the stories she told me as I was growing up.

I laughed at her determination to play basketball after Grandma had forbidden it.  

Grandma’s reasoning was simple.  No lady should be seen cavorting around in basketball bloomers.  Therefore, Mom would not play basketball, or so Grandma thought or if she did she must wear proper lady like clothing to do so. Mom refused to play in a dress.  So Grandma said no basketball.

Mom would put her uniform on under her long skirts and go to practice and the games telling Grandma different reasons for being away from home at various times. Of course once at the school the dress came off.   She got away with it for a long time too, until Grandma got suspicious. Mom thought Uncle Chuck had ratted her out because he was mad at her.

Anyway, right in the middle of a game Mom felt Grandma’s eyes on her and KNEW she was in deep trouble.  Mom never did say what punishment for lying and wearing unlady like clothing was, she just said it was swift and painful.

She didn’t finish high school, instead at age 16 she married my dad, Earl Boykin who was 6 years her senior.  Even their wedding was a funny story.  Aunt Faye denied it years later, but Mom and Dad both swore it was true.

When Mom and Dad decided they would get married she was barely 16 and he was 22.  There was no money for a big wedding then.  He was just home from serving in WWII and what money Grandpa Jesse made had to stretch a long way, so there was no big wedding.

They decided to elope, sort of.  They went to Kansas to get married, but not alone.  They had a whole lot of family with them.  Including Grandma and Grandpa, Faye and 4 year old Jimmy Lee.

On June 2, 1947 they arrived in Independence, Montgomery County, Kansas too late to get married that day.  Because money was so tight they all slept in one hotel room.  The entire wedding party.  With Grandma making certain she was fully between Mom and Dad, because she had her rules and they were not to be broken, even if they were getting married the next morning.

Mom said no one got a wink of sleep that night because Grandma would make her presence known every time there was the slightest noise or movement by anyone in the room. It was a loooooong night.

The next day they went to the justice of the peace to get married.  They all swore Mom was 18, even though she was only 16, so they could get married.  Kansas law at that time was 18 even with parental consent.

Once all the paperwork was signed the JP started in with his sermon, he didn’t get more than a few words out until little Jimmy started “playing” the piano as only a toddler can.

The JP started over, more music.  He started over again, the little maestro did too.  This was repeated several times with the JP getting more and more flustered. 

Dad said that before Jimmy was finally removed from the entire area the preacher nearly married Daddy to every woman in the room except Mom, including Grandma.  Then he would shudder every time he said the “even Grandma” part. 

They both said it was probably the funniest wedding in history, but I guess it took, because they stayed married until Mom’s death on April 4, 1988.

Dad was the one who found her.  She had died just as she had always said she would.  She had put on her favorite nighty, kissed Dad goodnight, told him she loved him and then went to sleep to never awaken on this earth again.

Dad took her death hard and followed her to the grave December 10, 1988 just eight months later.

I had been at the hospital with him the night he died and had “seen” Mom at the foot of his bed.  He told me to go home, that he saw her too and it was time.    The call came a few hours later.  They were together again.

I believe Mom was finally healthy then and they finally got to do all their “some day” plans together.

In her life Mom had suffered from depression a lot, she had several physical health issues a well.  Yet despite it all she and Dad got their GED’s the same month my brother graduated from high school.

Dad was constantly studying for he believed that everyone should learn one new thing each day, because if we all did the world would be a better place.

Mom believed the same.

She studied to be an LPN in the burn unit at Hillcrest Hospital in Tulsa, OK.  But gave it up when a baby the age of my oldest died in her arms from the burns its mother had purposefully created.  She came directly to my house that day and cried and cried as she held my child.  She said she could not face such evil again.

She later studied and achieved her certificate to be a licensed chiropractic assistant.  A job she enjoyed immensely.

She was also good at cards, and bingo.  Her mind was quick and she played a mean game of canasta that is for certain.

Of over eight pregnancies Mom only brought two of us into this world.  My brother, Jerry Earl and myself.  

I remember Mama, and I miss her. 

Please tell me about your Poyner parent so I might know them better. Siblings should all write about the parent, because each of us will remember different details or why that parent was special to them.  If no child of one of the parents remains, perhaps their spouses,  siblings or grand children could tell us about them. Please help each of us to know them as people, not just statistics on a genealogy page.

HAZEL ELIZABETH POYNER BOYKIN

Born April 23, 1931 in Collinsville, Oklahoma

Died April 4, 1988 in Eucha, Oklahoma

Married Earl (no middle initial) Boykin on June 3, 1947 in Independence, Montgomery County, Kansas.  He was the son of Edward Theodore Boykin and Felicia (no middle initial) Brewer.

FAMILY QUILT: FROM TWO TO TWELVE PART 3

HOUSES

My mother was child number nine of the ten, Hazel Elizabeth Poyner Boykin.  She was the youngest girl and as a result many of her siblings had already moved out of the family home by the time she came along.

For my brother and I this meant we never got to truly know some of the older siblings or their kids.  In fact there is a 6.5 years between my brother and I, so he remembers even less than I do.

Most of my memories are of the various homes and how they made me feel, more so than the individual aunt or uncle.  I know that sounds strange, but it was those homes that welcomed me and made me feel safe.

Mother was ill a lot, she had numerous miscarriages and other health issues.  Therefore, I spent a lot of time with the relatives.  Aunt Lula once told me they would see Dad pulling up at their place with my baby bed when I was young and know Mom was sick again. 

Back then not everyone had a telephone, so it was just a matter of showing up when you needed help.

After a while of course taking me to the aunts and uncles became easier because I outgrew the baby bed, but mother’s health never did truly improve. So I spent a lot of my formative years bouncing from relative to relative. It was always an adventure and I think I learned more from those experiences than your average child of the 50's. 

Each family member always made me welcome and to that I am thankful.  I had a good varied life because of their care.

But like I said, I remember the homes and the feel of those homes more than anything.  So here are my impressions.

I spent a lot of time on “the corner” as I refer to it in my mind.  That corner had Aunt Lula, Aunt Edie and Aunt Gladys, plus a small family type grocery.  At one point there was a fourth house involved, but I don’t remember who lived in it.  It was on the same side of the street as Aunt Lula’s.

I loved going to the corner, because I got three aunts who loved me at once.  The uncles were, of course, there too but were generally at work. So it was the aunts and cousins I remember the most.

Lula’s had the piano, Uncle Charlie, a kitchen table that dominos were played at, the girls and of course Don.  Now Don was a bit of a mystery to me.  For some reason I thought of him as an uncle rather than a cousin until I was in my teens.  I guess because he was so much older and eventually had a wife and kids.

I remember Don being in a body cast due to a wreck and using a coat hanger to scratch down inside the cast.  I also remember even as a young man he was quite a joker, and he remained so his entire life.  But for the longest time he was Uncle Don, not cousin Don to me.

The girls were older, but so much fun.  There was a lot of laughter in the household. 

I did most of my church going as a child with Lula and her family.

Part of the fun of Lula’s was the freedom to go see Edie and Gladys.  Their homes felt entirely different than Lula’s and I was often dropped at Gladys’ rather than Lula’s, but then I had the freedom to go down to Lula’s.  It was a win, win situation for me.

Gladys’ house brings to mind the washer on the back porch, learning to crochet and embroidery, Chow dogs, cockscomb flowers, and a fairly laid back lifestyle. 

I don’t remember Les or Jean being home all that often, again they were the older cousins.  But I remember enjoying their company when they came by.

Aunt Edie’s was an entirely different lifestyle yet.  Her house fascinated me.  Who ever heard of having outdoor showers?  I remember her carnival glass as well.

Plus there was Shirley, who often got in trouble with me, and the ever handsome Glen Dean.   

Glen was like Doctor Doolittle to me, he always had unique pets, gators, rabbits, raccoons, pigeons and Coco Moe the monkey.  My goodness how that monkey could bite, but I was still fascinated by him. 

I remember sitting in a mulberry tree and snacking to my heart’s content with Shirley. 

Life was good visiting the corner.

Another corner, but many miles away, was where Fay and Everett lived in Collinsville.

While Jimmy was a lot older than me Aunt Fay often took several of us cousins to stay at her house, especially during the summer.  This was a great summer vacation as far as I was concerned.  From her unique two story house with the narrow stairs going up to the small attic room with its slanted ceiling and small closets under the eaves where the games were stashed, to her beauty shop,  to the city park and movie theater within walking distance. Fay’s was always an adventure.

I remember one summer there were several of us staying, including Dean, Kenneth’s son, and we would stay up most of the night playing games in that upstairs room, then around daybreak we would, at Dean’s encouragement, eat pears off the neighbor’s tree. 

Once the pool at the nearby park would open we would walk over to spend the day at the pool, coming and going all day from the pool to go back to Fay’s to get a bite to eat.

To get to the pool we had to cross a blacktop or oil and rock road that got VERY hot and sticky in the summer months.  Because we all ran barefoot back then that road was treacherous to our feet.  So we would take one pair of flip flops (thongs, toe spratters) and take turns crossing the road then throwing the shoes back to the others to wear to cross.

 

If your throw was bad, you had to hot foot it out into the road to retrieve the shoe.  I was, and still am a horrible pitcher so I always made sure I crossed the road behind someone who could throw well and have them throw the shoes back for me, or make certain I was the last to cross where I didn't have to throw at all.

Toward evening on certain days we would go back to Fay’s, change into dry clothes, have a bite to eat and then clutching a dime for our admission walk down to the theater in downtown Collinsville, where we would watch a movie and then walk back to Fay’s late at night.  Or at least it seemed late at night to us then.

An added blessing was Uncle Everett and Aunt Iva’s up the road.  Talk about a culture shock from Aunt Fay’s.  While life was very simple at Fay’s it seemed very structured at Iva’s.

While I enjoyed the family I always felt a wee bit uncomfortable.  Aunt Iva kept an immaculate house.  I don’t remember ever even seeing a dirty dish.  I came from a less structured home and I was always worried I would make something dirty at Aunt Iva’s and cause her and Joann extra work, which I never wanted to do.  

I also felt much more of a tomboy than her girls, although I did have a lot of fun when I was around them.  I didn’t really know the older children, and Lisa was so much younger.  So I don’t believe I ever spent the night there, despite Jan being my same age, but I did often visit them when staying at Fay’s. After all cousin’s are our first best friends and they were fun.

Paul and Phala’s was fun, I remember the cousins and I always seemed to have something to do and being outside a lot. Sliding down the cellar door was a favorite. Details escape me for some reason.  But I do remember thinking Danny handsome.

Uncle Charles always seemed to have a new baby girl.  I know there were only four, but it sometimes felt like more.  Snooks was full of laughter and fun to be around. Uncle Charles was always reaching toward his dreams. 

Uncle Kenny’s was Aunt Ella Mae and PAT!  I loved being around Pat, she always came up with ideas on things to do.  Unfortunately, more than once I got her in trouble because Aunt Ella Mae held her responsible for me because I was younger.  I was rather ornery at times and poor Pat felt the brunt of it when I got into trouble. Sorry Pat.

Karen and Cindy were younger and I just remember them being like my little brother, being tolerated, but not part of our fun.

I also remember them redoing their wood floors often and the juke box, I think it was, in the garage. It may have been a pinball machine.  I just remember it being there.

Ed I never knew, in fact I don’t know if I ever even saw him. 

As I grew older and my family moved to north Tulsa it put miles between all of the cousins and me.  I missed them a lot.  Over the years my parents played cards, mainly canasta, and dominos with many of Mom’s siblings, but generally by that point I was left home to take care of my brother.

Speaking of cards.  Mother and Fay played cards together the most, but because Fay was in Collinsville, working out when and where they would play cards became a problem.  This was of the time of party lines, and long distance fees so the two of them worked out a certain code to set up their plans for card playing and to avoid long distance fees.

If one of them decided they wanted to play cards they would call the other’s phone number and ask for themselves.  They had a different answer for each scenario.

So “She’s not here, she’s gone with Earl right now and will be back at 6” would mean “Yes, we want to play cards and will be there at 6”,

“No, she’s working tonight” meant “No we are busy tonight.” And so forth.  They both knew the code quite well and so did I back then. 

House’s and the people in them is what I remember of my childhood when all the ten were alive.  There was so much more to my wonderful group of aunts, uncles and cousins, but this is already very long.

What do you remember?

FAMILY QUILT: FROM TWO TO TWELVE PART 2 REV. GALEENAH CARNEY POYNER BARNES

As a child growing up I was so confused as to what Grandma’s real name was So when asked I would reply Lena Galeenah, but apparently I wasn’t the only one that was confused. 

My mother’s, Hazel #9, birth certificate says her mother’s maiden name was Delaney Carney, okay.  But it gets more complicated than that.

Dollie Faye Poyner Jones, #7, birth certificate says her mother’s maiden name was Elaine Carney.  But then it also says Faye was born in Kansas and Lena’s age was 82 at the time.  Boy someone messed that record up.

Just out of curiosity, what does your family member’s birth certificate say her name was?

In the 1900 census soundex for Franklin county, AR she is listed as Galina Carny.

Grandpa Jesse’s death certificate says her name was Galeenah Poyner. While their marriage liscense says Gareena Carney, age 15.

Her marriage license to Simon Peter Barnes says Lena Poyner,

She, herself, was apparently very confused as to what her name was because in 1981 she signed a note Gleenth Barnes. While her social security cards list her as Gleena Barnes and Galeenah Carney Barnes.

Whoever composed her obituary tried to clear up the confusion by saying she was Galeena Lena (Poyner) Barnes. 

But then there is a Christmas card of her that says on the back “"Mom 60 years and 6 months old. Faye Keefover Lena Galena Carney” Faye had this card in her possession in 1997, I hope in all their moves it hasn’t been lost.

So what was Grandma’s name Delaney, Elaine, all variations of the spelling of Galeenah including Galeenth and Gareena, or was she simply Lena.  I know Grandpa Jesse called her his Lena Galeenah.  To me she was always strictly Grandma Poyner. 

Interestingly enough the Hebrew meaning of Galina/Galeenah/etc is God shall redeem.

I’m not certain when she became a reverend, but I do know that she was listed as that in more than one place.

Faye said she wasn’t truly a reverend that she had sent off an application to be one from the back of some magazine. Whether this was true or not I don’t know.  Perhaps some of the family members know the truth.

It is no wonder she was confused about her name.  Her upbringing was different to say the least. 

Born July 16, 1893 or 1894 the census records can’t agree on the year to Chesterfield M (probably for Monroe) Carney and Porter Columbia Branham in Oolagah, Oklahoma Indian Territory (what is now Rogers county, Oklahoma).

There was no official record at the time that I can find.  In fact the state of Oklahoma took my money and said they could find no birth record for her.  However, Fay told me she knew there was a delayed birth certificate on record because she helped her gather the information to get it in order to be able to draw social security and Grandpa’s rail road retirement money.

She says there was an affidavit filled out that said her delivery was carried out with the assistance of Porter’s three sisters acting as midwives.

From her beginnings her life was a series of ups and downs.

From a telephone conversation with Dollie Faye Poyner Keefover Jones on January 10, 1997:

She said that Chesterfield and Porter divorced when Lena was a little bitty thing and that Chesterfield kidnapped Lena twice.  Once when she was real tiny and Porter got her back.  Then again when Lena was six and he snatched her right out of Porter's arms.  According to Faye, Grandma remembered it happening and said she thought they were going to tear her apart like a wishbone.

Chester kept her until she was grown and then she happened to mention to a neighbor that she'd give anything to see her Mom.  The neighbor knew exactly where Porter was and put them in touch with each other.  While they did meet Lena continued to live near Chester and only saw her mother on a few occasions.  Only once or twice that Faye could remember and she said the one time she remembers for sure Chester showed up just out of the blue right after Porter got there.  JP NOTE: This leads me to wonder about something else I was once told.  That Chester had been married to a Native American woman at one point and he came home and caught her in bed with another man, divorced her immediately and was very bitter about it. Could Porter have been the woman?  I know I have always been told there was "Indian" on Lena's side of the family, but Lena denied it.  If we could prove Porter was Native American we could all benefit.  Anyone have any definite information on this?

In my records I also have this scattered note:

Notes from discussion with Lula Poyner Maxey Maynard on July 25, 1998: Mary Bailey at Talequah, Tom Bailey, at Hobart, Ok Mary were related to Chester. Reeder Bailey was the son of Mary & Tom Reeder's wife's name may have been Lena. Charlie Dunham was a brother in law to Reeder Bailey. Homesteaded in Talequah records.  Grandma was born in a two story house straight east of Collinsville toward Oolagah.

From my own research I found that Mary was indeed related to Chesterfield, often call Chester or Chet.  She was his sister Mary Carney. It is believed it was Mary who told the teenage Lena where her mother was. According to Lula it was Mary and Tom Bailey who took care of Lena when Chesterfield was not available.

Census records seem to hold at least part of the story up.

1900 AR Soundex C650:

Carny, Chester F. Vol 13 ED 201 Sheet 3 line 46

male white b. April 1852 age 48 b. TN

Franklin County, White Rock Twp enumerated with Alexander, Mary E. as a boarder

In the same household Carny Galina white b 7/1894 age 5 IT

On the ancestry census data base he is listed as Cluster F. Corney. Talk about mutilating a name.

The actual census record on T 623-59 of Franklin County White Rock Twnsp enumerated 6/6 1900 by J. B. Stuart

Dwell 43 Family 43

Alexander, Mary head white female b. sep 1848 age 67 widow b. Ny fb NY mb NY occupation: farmer can

     read, write, and speak English

Carney, Chester F. boarder white male b. 4/1842 age 48 married 2 years b. TN, fb. TN, mb TN occupation:

     day Laborer can read, write and speak English

     Ida boarder white female b. 2/1880 age 20 married 2 years b. AR fb. TX mb. MO can only speak

          English, but not read or write it. ( She was apparently Chesterfield’s current wife at that time).

     Galina, boarder white female b. 7/1894 age 6 single b. IT, fb. TN, mb. MO

Monaham, Walter 16 male (the ancestry site lists him as Waller)

Keys, Wallace 16 male

By the 1910 Census she was married to Grandpa Jesse and was living in Newton Country, AR.

My memories of Grandma Lena are very few.  I remember being afraid of her because she was a very stern woman quick to tell me what a naughty little girl I was. 

I was equally as afraid of a big grey gander she once had.  He loved to pinch and flog me and I lived in terror of the goose being loose when I was there.

Around the time I was ten they had a large party, I believe it was to celebrate Grandma and Grandpa’s 50^th wedding anniversary party, but it was in the summertime.

As usual the kids were all banned to the outdoors during the party.  It was hot so some of us sought the comfort of the shade of the okra plants in Grandma’s large garden.  It didn’t take long for the nearby bright red ripe tomatoes to catch our eye. 

I slipped into the kitchen and got the salt shaker from the stove.  Before it was over we cousins had eaten every single one of Grandma’s ripe tomatoes.  When she discovered this she became madder than I had ever seen her.  I was terrified! I never ventured into any of her gardens after that again.  In fact I seldom went to her home after that.

After Grandpa’s death she married Simon Peter Barnes and we acquired a whole new batch of “cousins” one of which went to the same high school I did.  I remember accidentally meeting her in the girls’ room one day and she made it VERY clear she was not happy her grandpa had married my grandma.  It was the only time I ever met the girl, but the anger in her voice made it clear she didn’t want to be friends.

Mr. Barnes passed before Grandma and as her life wound down Grandma’s health deteriorated. During her last years of her life she lived with Fay and Tom Jones.  One weekend my husband Gary and I spelled Fay and Tom in Grandma’s care while they got to have a night out.

By then she was in the fetal position and unable to care for herself at all, but her mind was still active.  Seeing her that way made me ashamed I was ever afraid of her.

Grandma died December 29, 1983.  She was laid to rest next to Grandpa in Ridgelawn Cemetery in Collinsville, OK.

FAMILY QUILT: FROM TWO TO TWELVE PART ONE JESSE JAMES POYNER

In the beginning, of course it was just the two of them.  So let’s start there.

This post will be about Grandpa Jesse.

Jesse James Poyner was the son of Jonathan L. Poyner (1832-1907) and Martha Ann Scott (1848-1829).  He was born in Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas according to some records, although one census record shows him born in Iowa. Still another birth location can be found in one section of his railroad retirement papers where it says he was born in Nevada, Vernon County,  Missouri.  This is a possibility because his parents were in Platte County, Missouri in the 1880 census.   More on this later.

He and his twin sister Esse Mae were numbers 12 and 13 of the thirteen children born to John and Martha.  According to most records they were born on November 12, 1887 in Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas.  Although one record showed the twins born in two different locations and days apart.  Neat trick if you can do it.

I’ve not learned much about young Jesse but I am certain life was interesting in the Poyner household with 13 children.  I know his family was involved in the Civil War on the Union side.  But I’ll write more on that as I flesh out those ancestors for you.

One family story is that he was named after the famous outlaw Jessie James who visited the Poyner household and gave them $50 when he left.  This story, does say the father Jonathan was dead at that point, but documents show John did not die until 1907.  He was, however, some what disabled and therefore, the outlaw may have sought to help out the large family due to John not being able to work.

Whether Jesse James visited the Poyner household or not he would have visited long before the twins were born because the outlaw Jesse James died in 1882 at St. Joseph, MO, five years before the twins birth.

I am certain that the outlaw being famous at least made the idea of the name Jesse James feasible.

On January 5, 1907 Jesse registered for the military draft.  From his draft records we learn that at that time he was short in stature, of medium build with blue eyes and dark hair.  I guess that is where my mother got her blue eyes and Lula’s  her dark hair.

From a telephone conversation with Dollie Faye Poyner Keefover Jones on January 10, 1997:

Jessie age 22 proposed to Lena age 15 and told her if she would marry him he would homestead a piece of land of about 160 acres near Jasper, Arkansas on Mount Sherman and he would build her a home there.  She accepted and he did just that.  They spent their honeymoon under a large tree on the homestead.  He built a cabin out of the pine trees on the land.  The original cabin had two large rooms.  After they moved into that he added two more large rooms.

Years ago I was sent photos of the remains of the log cabin.  This was all that remained in the late 1990’s. Even in this state you can get an idea of how much work young Jesse put into the cabin for his young bride

 They lived there until Edith was about 6 months old then moved Collinsville, Oklahoma.

 When they moved to Collinsville they basically moved off and left everything, including the pigs.  This was around the depression era and no one had any money to buy anything. He worked at a smelter in Collinsville until Dolly Fay was about 6 months old.

 Then he went to work for the Santa Fe Railroad. When Faye was 6 years old they went to Vera, Oklahoma, when she was 13 they moved to Owasso, Oklahoma at age 15 they moved back to Collinsville, Oklahoma and then when she was 16-17 they moved to Tulsa.  Each of the moves were with his employer the Santa Fe Railroad who he stayed with in Tulsa until he retired.

It was once mentioned to me that Grandpa Jesse was minus one finger due to a train coupling accident while working for the Santa Fe.  I vaguely remember someone we knew, when I was young that was minus one finger, but I can’t remember for certain if it was him.  Does anyone know for sure?

They were married on January 2, 1910 by Elderman Aaron D. Cole, Minister of the Gospel in Jasper, Newton County, Arkansas.

They were married nearly 55 years until his death on November 24, 1964 in Carbondale, Tulsa County, Oklahoma from coronary acclusion (thrombosis, coronary sclerosis, aterioseratic cardiovascular).  He was at Paul’s (#6) when he died.

At this point I should be placing a copy of the death certificate, but I no longer seem to have one.  If you have a copy of his death certificate I would appreciate a scan or photo of it please.  In the meantime I will try to figure out where my copy went

During his lifetime he was a hardworking man who worked as a section hand for the Santa Fe Railroad.  His retirement record provides the following information.

On Sept 15th 1939 He lived in Vera, Washington County, Oklahoma this form says he was born in Topeka, Kansas, he was section labor and began with them on Oct 16, 1926 in the Tract department in South Kansas for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway System out of Topeka Kansas. On the typed copy of the handwritten form it is noted that his birth place and date has not been verified.  This is important as in later paperwork in this file it says he was born in Nevada, MO on the same date as what he has listed for Topeka, KS.  he is always listed as a laborer and his salary is given for each time period.  His last day to work was Dec 31, 1952 and he started receiving his pension in Jan. 1953.  Prior to this time he had signed all of his own forms, but the form with the Nevada, MO date and his pension paperwork are signed by a witnessed X.  He may have had his first stroke by that time.  He was then living at 1068 N. Peoria, Tulsa, OK. To prove his age he gave a copy of a census records showing him to be 32 in 1919.

Image that he raised all ten kids on this salary.  Also notice it says his middle initial was F.  But we know better, I am certain this is his file  This was just one page in his employment record.  His complete record will soon be on the companion site and then I'll add hyper links to this blog for it.  In the meantime, here is his compensation sheet.

To receive his pension after his death Lena supplied a copy of the marriage license showing him to be 22 and her 15 in 1910.

Several years ago while visiting with Faye, #7, we discussed how Grandpa had put money into that retirement fund all the time he had worked and when it came time for retirement he was told he could either have his railroad retirement fund or his social security, but not both.  At that point she showed me a metal gold colored card that was his rr retirement card.  I told her then I would love to have that card if she ever wanted to part with it.  I wonder if Tom still has it.  If so I would still love to have it.

Over the years various family members have told me that at one point, during economic hard times, most likely during the depression/dust bowl.  Jesse and Lena loaded up all the kids that were still living at home in an old car, strapped everything they owned to it and headed for California in search of a better future.  They went to perhaps the Rosewood, CA area, but I am not certain.  I am basing this guess on the fact that at the recent reunion there were two unidentified photos from family files that said “Rosewood, California” on the back of them.

I, however, think they must have gone to CA prior to 1926 since that is when he started work for the railroad.

Every time I have heard this story I have thought of the “Grapes of Wrath” story and have envisioned that car with Poyner children hanging out all over as a cross between the iconic Grapes of Wrath car photos and the Beverly Hillbillies truck.  I’m sure neither one is entirely accurate, but I have an active imagination.

I was 14 when Grandpa died and remember very little about him other than he was a sweet, gentle man that seemed to take pride in all his grandchildren.  In his later years he stayed with us for a short while and I read to him daily from a tiny red bible per his request.  I was also in charge of washing his feet, which he said tickled when I did it. 

I know by that point he had some skin cancer and it was prescribed he drink goat’s milk as a possible “cure” and preventive for that.  He had the places removed from his face surgically. 

I also remember Grandma Lena complaining the goat milk made his urine smell, but my mother kept taking goat milk to him.  Where she got it I don’t know, but the doctor said he needed it so she took it.

I remember attending his funeral and being very upset when they opened his casket at the graveside because it was so cold and windy and I didn’t want him to be cold.

I also seem to be missing my photo of his tombstone, so if someone has one I would love a digital image of it too.  

Those are the facts and memories of Grandpa Jesse I have.  I would love to hear from all of you about your memories and additional information you might have on him.  Please send them to me at my friends and family email address: c.j.dreammaker@gmail.com  Below is a list and the dates I have for the children of Jesse and Galeenah.

Transcription of census records for Jesse James Poyner

1900 Jackson, Newton Co.,  AR

Poyner, John L. 68 India (na?) day laborer NC MD

                Martha 52 IN IN IN

                George W. 20 KS

                Anna 15 KS

                Essa 12

                Jessa 12

1910 Newton Co. AR Census: Soundex 043 0097 0178

Poiner, Jesse J. husband white age 23 b. KS AR

     Lena white age 16 b. OK

1920 AR Soundex, Newton Co:

Poyner, Jesse J. Vol 44 ED 100 Sheet 8 line 79

Age 32 b. IOWA (JP NOTE: this is the first Iowa has shown up as a birthplace, but his father enlisted in the Union Army in Iowa, so this is a good possiblity)

     Lena age 25 b. AR (uhhh, everything I have says OK

     son Evrett age 8 b. AR

     Son Edward age 5 b. AR

     daug LuLu M. 3 8/12 b. AR

     daugh Edith 1/ 4/12 b. AR

1930 OK, Tulsa County, Incoporated Place Collinsville. CT Ward 2 ED 72-7 Supervisiors District #6 Sheet 2A pg 79  April 3, 1930 Alma E. Miller

1216 33 34

Poyner, Jesse J. Head of household  M W 42 married at age 22  IA, IA, IA RR worker

                Lena    wife                          F W 35                          15, OK, TN, AR

                Everett J. son                       MW 18 single                     AR, IA, OK field laborer

                Eddie C. son                        MW  16 single                     AR, IA, OK dairy laborer

                Lula M. daughter                  FW 13 single                      AR, IA, OK

                Edith I. daughter                  FW 11 single                      AR, IA, OK

                Gladys F. daughter             FW 8 single                         AR, IA, OK

                Clarence P. son                   MW 5 single                        OK, IA, OK

                Dolly F. daughter                 FW 4.5 single                     OK, IA, OK

                Kenneth L. son                     MW 1.5 single                     OK, IA, OK

Family Group Sheet for Jesse James Poyner

Husband: Jesse James Poyner

Birth: 12 Nov 1887 in Topeka, Shawnee, Kansas, USA

Marriage: 02 Jan 1910 ; Married by Elderman Aaron D. Cole, Minister of the

Gospel

Burial: Nov 1964 ; Collinsville, Oklahoma in Ridgelawn Cemetery..

Death: 24 Nov 1964 in Carbondale, Tulsa County, Oklahoma

Mother: Martha Ann Scott

Father: Jonathan L. Poyner

Mother:

Wife: Galeenah Carney

Birth: 16 Jul 1893 in Oolagah, Cherokee County, Oklahoma IT (now

Rogers County, Oklahoma)

Death: 29 Dec 1983 in Oklahoma, USA

Burial: 30 Dec 1983 ; Ridgelawn Cemetery, Collinsville Oklahoma

Mother: Columbia Porter Branham

Father: Chesterfield Monroe Carney

Married second: Simon Peter Barnes August 2, 1965

Children:

Name: James Everett Poyner

Birth: 19 Aug 1911 in Arkansas, USA

Marriage: 1936 in Oklahoma, USA

Death: 19 Aug 1984 in Collinsville, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA

Burial: 22 Aug 1984 in Collinsville, Rogers, Oklahoma, USA

Spouse: Iva Lou Maines

Name: Eddie Chester Poyner

Birth: 01 Feb 1914

Death: 04 Jul 1993

Burial: Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA

Spouse: Ada Loweda Adkins

Spouse: Thelma Douglas

Name: Lula May Poyner

Birth: 04 May 1916 in Newton, Arkansas, USA

Marriage: 10 Mar 1934 in Collinsville, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA

Death: 16 Dec 2006 in Iowa, USA

Burial: 20 Dec 2006 ; Collinsville Cemetery, Collinsville, OK

Spouse: Charles Deward Maxey

Spouse: Mike Maynard

Name: Edith Irene Poyner

Birth: 30 Aug 1918 in Jasper, Newton, Arkansas, USA

Marriage: 05 Feb 1941

Death: 03 Jan 1979 in Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA

Spouse: Leo Raymond Deckard

Name: Gladys Fern Poyner

Birth: 09 Apr 1921 in Arkansas, USA

Death: 21 Oct 1987

Spouse: Vernon Worley

Spouse: Lawrence Wickham

Spouse: Marion Beall

Name: Clarence Paul Poyner

Birth: 20 Apr 1924 in Collinsville, Rogers, Oklahoma, USA

Death: 17 Sep 1980

Spouse: Effie Cunningham

Spouse: Phala Dean Lunfod

Name: Dollie Faye Poyner

Birth: 21 Mar 1926 in Collinsville, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA

Marriage: 11 Feb 1942 in Collinsville, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA

Spouse: James Russell Keefover

Spouse: Willard Spotted Horse

Spouse: Thomas Edward Jones

Name: Kenneth Lee Poyner

Birth: May 6, 1929

Death: October 7, 2015

Marriage: February 25, 1956

Spouse: Ella Mae Sandfer

Spouse: Vantress Unknown

Spouse: Geraldine Robinson

Name: Hazel Elizabeth Poyner

Birth: 23 Apr 1931 in Collinsville, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA

Marriage: 03 Jun 1947 ; Marriage License lists Hazel's age as 18, she was

barely 16 at the time.

Death: 04 Apr 1988 in Eucha, Delaware, Oklahoma, USA

Burial: 06 Apr 1988 ; Ridgelawn Cemetery, Collinsville, Rogers, Oklahoma

USA

Spouse: Earl Boykin

Name: Charles Clyde Poyner

Birth: 23 Nov 1934 in Vera, Washington, Oklahoma, USA

Marriage: 01 Sep 1952

Death: 23 Feb 2003

Burial: 28 Feb 2003 ; Calvery Cemetery, Tulsa, Tulsa Co., OK

Spouse: Claudia May “Snooks” Badgwell